Thursday, February 11, 2016

Applications Open For Oregon's Small Business Innovation Research Grant Support Program

Small businesses in biosciences are likely candidates for Oregon's Small Business Innovation Research Grant Support Program. The state-funded program provides grants as part of a federal SBIR/STTR matching grants program, which allows states to entice small businesses with state-matching grant money.Grow in Oregon

Matching grants are used by Oregon and 16 other states to draw promising companies to their state. Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon, has allocated $400,000 for the grants which will allow her to award four businesses with grants up to $125,000 each. Companies who qualify must be participating in a companion federal grant program, such as The Small Business Innovation Research Grant Support Program.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides grants to small businesses for research and development under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program. NIH warded $17.5 million in SBIR grants in 2015 to 24 Oregon companies, who were in phase 2 which means they are at the level to proceed with commercialization of their plan.

Matching grants

States like Oregon who provide matching state funding are able to lure competitive companies who will bring new bioscience technology to their state infrastructure. As Brown stated recently, "This support encourages more small businesses to stay and grow in Oregon."